Saturday, September 7 & Sunday, September 8, 2024

Wausau’s Artrageous Weekend, the collaborative promotion of four separate events, traditionally is held on the weekend after Labor Day. 

During Wausau’s Artrageous Weekend 2024, visit four admission-free venues: Art in the Park at Marathon Park, Wausau Festival of Arts and the Center for the Visual Arts in downtown Wausau, and Birds in Art opening weekend at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum.

For more 2024 information, see details below.

• Art in the Park, organized by the Wisconsin Valley Art Association, brings together more than 120 exhibitors in the East Gate Hall and Exhibition Building in Marathon Park on Stewart Avenue near 17th Avenue on Wausau’s west side. Affordable art and hand-crafted items available for purchase include pottery, wearable art, paintings, photography, and more. Food and beverages are available for purchase from local non-profit groups and businesses; ATM available. Free admission. Saturday, 9am–5pm; Sunday, 9am–4pm.
•  Wausau Festival of Arts, first launched in 1965, is located on Third Street and the 400 Block and offers for purchase work by over 120 juried artists representing a variety of mediums. Strolling down Third Street, the festive browse-and-buy atmosphere is enhanced by live music on the 400 Block stage. Families can participate in children’s art activities in the Family Art tent and children 12 and under can shop at the Young Collector Market where the proceeds support the children’s art activities.  Adults can indulge their creativity by taking “Still Young at Art” classes.  Bid on art donated by our artists at the Silent Auction tent to support our art scholarships awarded to area students. Food stands, operated by local non-profit organizations, offer assorted foods and beverages. Free admission. Saturday, September 7, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, September 8, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Center for the Visual Arts, 427 N. Fourth Street, is a 501-(c)3 not-for-profit visual arts organization working to engage people in the visual arts and add to the livability of the Wausau regional community. The CVA offers free, public exhibits in four professional gallery spaces, affordable art classes for children and adults, artwork made by local artists in the CVA Shop, and free art projects to community events throughout the year. In addition, the organization partners with other local groups and businesses to enrich the local community. Visit during Wausau’s Artrageous Weekend 2024 to experience 10+ artist demonstrations, including ceramics, digital art, painting, and more on Saturday, September 7, 10 a.m.-5 p.m; Sunday, September 8, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Birds in Art opening weekend at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum features Saturday morning festivities including an artist presentation, Artists in Action, and morning opportunities to meet dozens of artists who flock to the Museum from throughout the world for the opening of this 49th annual internationally renowned exhibition. Majestic yet fragile, birds connect us with the natural world. Heralding each sunrise and gathering at dusk, these harbingers of seasonal and environmental change endlessly fascinate and inspire. Browse galleries to see fresh artistic takes on birds via original paintings, sculptures, and graphics created with the past three years. Since 1976, the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum has organized Birds in Art annually, seeking to present the best contemporary artistic interpretations of avian themes. Always free admission. Special opening-weekend hours: Saturday, September 7, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, September 8, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Birds in Art is scheduled to remain on view through December 1, 2024. 

2024 Events & Free Bus Route Map

Bus will run from 10 am to 5 pm and make stops at each of the designated locations (Woodson Art Museum, Marathon Park East Gate, 2nd & Stewart [Saturday only], and 4th & Jefferson) every 20 – 30 minutes. A Handicap bus will make stops every 30 minutes at each location.

For details or additional information, contact each organization:

• Art in the Park, Wisconsin Valley Art Association, 715-581-4831, wisconsinvalleyart@gmail.com, wivalleyart.org
• Wausau Festival of Arts, 715-842-1676, info@wausaufoa.org, wausaufoa.org
• Center for the Visual Arts, info@cvawausau.org, 715-842-4545, cvawausau.org
• Woodson Art Museum, info@lywam.org, 715-845-7010, lywam.org/birds-in-art

Thanks to Wausau’s Artrageous Weekend sponsors for the continued support!

Sponsored in part by the City of Wausau Room Tax

Access photos via links, below. Click on the following underlined captions, which are URL links to access photos from each venue; please include caption information with images used.